A solar cell is a device that converts photons into electrical energy. The electrical energy produced by the cell is collected through electrical contacts coupled to the semiconductor material, and is routed through interconnections with other photovoltaic cells in a module. Solar cell metallization is most commonly achieved by screen printing a silver paste onto the cell and then soldering ribbons across the screen-printed bus bars. The ribbons are used to string—that is, electrically interconnect—multiple solar cells together in serial fashion for a solar module. Ribbons are also referred to as tabbing ribbon, interconnect wires, photovoltaic wires, or other similar terms.
Another type of solar cell metallization is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,916,038 “Free-Standing Metallic Article for Semiconductors” and U.S. Pat. No. 8,936,709 “Adaptable Free-Standing Metallic Article for Semiconductors,” in which a unitary metallic article is used to collect electric current from the light-incident surface of the solar cell as well as to interconnect cells together. To connect the solar cells together in an array, each metallic article on a front surface of a cell is electrically coupled to a metallic article on a back surface of the neighboring cell using a cell-to-cell interconnect that may be part of one of the metallic articles.
As renewable energy continues to be an important area for supplying energy needs for an ever-increasing population, there is a need for improving cost and manufacturing efficiency of solar cells.